Read Aloud Hall of Fame #5: THE FULL BELLY BOWL by Jim Aylesworth and Wendy Anderson Halperin

You need a book. A can’t miss book. A read aloud that will cast a wide net and pull everyone in. This is the idea behind The 100 Scope Notes Read Aloud Hall of Fame.
In each post I’ll share a read aloud that has never let me down. Some will be obvious and popular. Others lesser-known. All will be story time gold.
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Click here to see all the Read Aloud Hall of Fame inductees.

The Full Belly Bowl by Jim Aylesworth, illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin
It was published in 1999, but has the feel of a book from the 70s. Not exactly the vibe you might expect to be a killer read aloud in 2022. Yet it is. Jim Aylesworth’s folktale about a magical bowl that duplicates whatever is put inside of it has never failed me. And when the man realizes he could duplicate money in the bowl? The gasps are audible.
Filed under: Read Aloud Hall of Fame
About Travis Jonker
Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.
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I love seeing your Hall of Fame books. I was intrigued by this one and borrowed it through ILL. It’s a gem. I’m a Children’s Librarian at a public library. This will be a fun read aloud for school visits, and would also be a great writing lesson. Thanks for the fun way you share so many wonderful books!
Happy to hear you liked it!